Talk with taliban !!!.... terrible !!.... how we can negotiate with a terrorist organization who are spreads violence all over the world? i just shocked after seeing this news clip from cnn...

On one hand it seems evident. No we can't negotiate. But when you understand that it's a deep seated Muslim tradition, You have to at some level decide what will help gain the trust of the people. To these right wing conservative Muslims they are right. Just like Rush and Newt and the people who like them here in the states. Understanding they helped drive out the Soviets and were our allies at one time. Ronald Regan called them and our other Muslim enemies friends. The enemy of our enemy.
Consider, Ponder, its not a Black and white issue. It's a major Grey area.

Rick ,
Why wouldn't we try to resolve a problem that shouldn't include things that didnt work over years of shedding blood?
take a look at history with russia?
We are no different.
We can blow up the whole country like The neo cons did with Iraq,
but look at the aftermath and the strained economy now?
Another Republikkkan Recession?

outdated thinking in todays society ?

Take the word negotiate out of the equation and replace the it with peace negotiation.
There has to come a time to try new things and new ways, how can we fight people we cannot see who the enemy is or who blends in?
we can only rely on intelligence.
but secret arm deals and drug deals and oil deals only show corruption involvement .

Yes we should. We should speak with Al Qaeda as well. These people have a legitimate complaint against us. We have been meddling in their affairs for decades now.

Is is really too bad that Americans are so stupid and cowardly. Think about it, you morons. There is nothing better for Halliburton, than to fight a war against an enemy you will not negotiate with. It insures that the war will never end. So question the politician who says we do not negotiate with our enemies.

Quite frankly, I've never understood the attitude of "We will never negotiate with terrorists".

Why not negotiate with them? Negotiation prevented the world being reduced to radioactive vapour in the Cold War. It is the reason South Korea is still there. Seems like it could prevent a lot more lives being lost needlessly.

Sup
Rick
All America needs to do today Is step up It's game In all areas of life other than the only formula of enforcing things.That only creates one answer and that answer Is 'If they are not with us they're against us' .
Alot of nations see It that way and thats why It Is hard to see solutions that can work peacefully without conflict.
I love America and alot of It's policies Internationally but It's time to turn the page bcuz things have Indeed changed.
We will need to painfully take In some blame,some risks and sacrifices In order to get It together.And by this I mean lets try negotiating and all other means that exclude force.You can argue that ,thats been done before and yes I agree.
But It's never too late and It's the only way to train a new generation of Americans to avoid future conflicts with other nations.
America Is loved and will always be loved by potential focused developing nations.And those nations can help us grow with them or vice versa.The notion that somehow everybody hates America Is just not true and extremely naive plus I have eveidence to that.
Lets talk about this sometime later Rick and I will prove It to you,lol.I mean seriously!

And
Hey Rick you got to remember this,analysis shows that all the hater nations we have as America don't want to take what we have,they just want us to fail.
In actual sense the difference Is the same but you can stop all this In a less expensive way.
America has advanced In almost all ways since the cold war and you would think by now there would be no more fatalities during war or even less expenses......I guess umm....come on I want you to chip In on this before I Proceed Mr Rick,lol

Rick, please interview David Kilcullen on this issue and read his books, the latest of which is "The Accidental Guerilla".This was the man who was primarily responsible for crafting Gen Petraeus' policy that was so successful in Iraq. He has a wonderful understanding of the very complex and difficult dynamics behind these insurgent groups. He claims that 90% of Taliban are not takfiri extremist radicals, but are in fact what he calls accidental guerillas who are fighting against the US because they view the US as invading their home and are not irrevocably opposed to the US per se. These people have to be treated very differently than the takfiri extremists who are ideologically bent on the destruction the US and can often be brought around to assist the US against the real radicals when treated in the proper way, some of which will involve conciliatory negotiations. The problem is that, if this process does not occur, the radicals will sucessfully inflitrate and exploit thes people against the US.

Off topic...But would you pass along to Diana Krall Costello yes, wife of Elvis Costello. well as you know Ms. Krall attended the world reknown Vancouver Island University Jazz Program in Nanaimo, B.C
Two of the members of Vancouver Island`s ZELA`S HYPE band are attending VIU currently. Worth taking a look when the band plays
tonight July 11 at Malone`s Sports Bar in Vancouver, home of the
2010 Olympics Thanks

How to Pay for A Universal Health Care System
If we get rid of all of the HMO's the savings in administrative costs and excessive profits will cover people with little or no incomes in a government controlled health care system. Everyone pays a percentage of his or her income into the system. This is currently being done successfully in all of the other industrialized countries in the world. A universal affordable health care system cannot be achieved if HMO's are to be included. Unfortunately, our members of Congress will never disappoint big business investors.

Well said Rick!
I agree with you 100%

I think that America can win any war it wants to. Unfortunately, the way to win a war is not what America is all about!

Eight years of Bush! Eight years of Clinton! Eight years of Bush One!

Let President Obama do what the majority of voters wanted, a change from: Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rove, Gingrich, Paulson, Limbaugh, Hannity, Coulter, Clinton oh God please stop me I'm getting sick!

I have to say expect the unexpected with the Obama adminstration. Remember President Obama is different he wants to move forward so in saying this I believe that YES it's possible. We need toTRY at everything that's thrown at us from now on. Let's do the opposite of what we've been doing for years that frankly is not getting us anywhere.

why doesn't someone tell the president as to why the stimulus package has 16.1 million to study a stupid frog!

Dear Rick, The problem with "Negotiating With The Taliban" IS HOW MUCH WILL IT COST??!! IN MONEY OR POSTION OR MORALITY?? I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IT WILL COST US FOR PEACE?? THESE PEOPLE HAVE NEVER BEEN CONQUERED OR DEFEATED!!

Here we are spending more money on the military than the whole world combined. While we waste money like this our economy continues to go down the toilet. The guy from Shadow Statistics says that our true unemployment is at 20% already. We are in a depression helping only the banks even with Obama. Why are we fighting the Taliban again? Tell me Rick. Did the Taliban bomb the Twin Towers? Three thousand people died on 911. How many American soldiers have already been killed in the Middle East? How many Iraqis were killed? Did we avenge those 3000 yet? If we kill one million Iraqis is it enough to avenge the deaths of those 3000? How many Afghanis and Pakistanis do we have to kill? Tell me Rick how many Pakistanis were on board those planes that hit on 911?

Hey Rick , I'm trying to figure out why Micheal Vick got almost 21/2 yrs of his life taken away from him over dogs and Donte Stallworth can kill a man and basically get slapped on the wrist. What happen to justice? I'm black, live in Knoxville where he went to college, and it makes no sense to me.

I for one dont think we can trust pakistan,next we need to take full control of this war we are the United States of America .

Judge Sotomyor is a beacon of hope to fulfill our dreams as immigrants and choose to become citizens of this great country. Her personal story is my story and perhaps a story of majority,who choose to migrate here.
Congratulations to every minority individual in this country. No where else in the world but only in America this can happen.

I guess Cheney wasnt in a undisclosed secure location after all. He was working behind the scenes. Who was the real President here.

Nooooooooooo. It's really sad if we negotiate with terrorists

I love history. I love reading and analyzing what has happened in the past. In MY opinion, the only way to end the conflicts we are in is through negotiation. Many of you reading these blogs believe that our government is lying to you. The reason you can do this is because you live in a country that is more or less free. You have the freedom to think and to act....again more or less. However, lets look at Iraq. The previous government fed lies and propaganda to the citizens. Since most people could not read and most did not have access to outside information, most believed that the big bad USA was out to get them. By giving our "enemies" the opportunity to express their issues with the US in a quasi public forum, we often remove the veil from those who are being oppressed. Therefore, change happens from within. At the very least, I believe we all can agree that bombing, shooting, etc cannot win these types of wars. If you kill every Taliban in Afghanistan, all you do is create more elsewhere. Its like cutting a starfish in half.

Sure Sandy Berger STEALS documents from the National Archives and stuffs them down his pants trying to cover his rear after 9/11 and the lack of defense of this nation. Cheney is the bad guy for trying to defend a nation that serioulsy does not want to protect itself for the most part! Mr Chamberlain here we come!

Rick – If the Dems are going to prosecute a crime (or crimes) committed by the previous administration – how can they NOT "go back"? By definition the crime has to be committed FIRST so any prosecution is in fact "going back".

Ask Mr. Cornan from TX why he does not ask a couple of black people to appear as witnesses. They are skipped over and not promoted all the time and no one gives a fat rat. one white man and one Latino gets overlooked and it changed the world.

Got it in wrong catagory. Haven't figured out this blogging thing yet.

No. The Taliban, backed to a corner, is only employing this ploy to buy time and make their escape. They rejected this kind of offer (made by the Afghan President Kerzir) not too long ago. What has changed?

Rick why are you ignoring your Myspace & Facebook viewers? Is
Twitter giving you kick backs now? Do you own stock in Twitter?

One problem with Afghanistan is that no nation has ever successfully conquered and held that area.

Another problem is that the culture there is so significantly different than ours. Their worldview is vastly different. They see us as outsiders who have invaded their homeland and see no reason to cooperate with us unless they see a personal, direct profit in doing so.

According to some, another problem is that the Afghan government is corrupt. There are reports of police brutality. So, no doubt the average villager doesn't feel like he has any reason to trust or work with Americans unless it is in his direct interest. (I use the word "he" because women in Afghanistan have no rights, no voice; they are property.)

The Muslims are also taught that it is acceptable to kill "infidels" - anyone who is not a Muslim. So that creates another problem.

Can you negotiate with the Taliban? There is no reason to trust them, but unless we think we can wage war for decades and decades and can waste precious lives and money on a people who do not want to change, there is very little that can be done.

Negotiate?

Didn't we negotiate with N. Vietnam? The old USSR? How many times have we "negotiated?" The names may change, but the game remains the same.

There are nations do not want to live like us and they do not want us to tell them how to live. They do not want us in their country.

Bush et al mucked it all up by not focusing on Afghanistan but wasted time, lives, money in Iraq for Bush's ego and Bush and Cheney's oil buddies.... who, by the way, won't be getting Iraqi oil after all - the Chinese will....

Why did the three judges make this ruling in the first place. I think they ruled because the minorities were being skipped over and not promoted. You see, you either love one and hate the other. You strike the ruling down and go back to some old stuff.mossy

Great post!

Negotiation is tricky. As a nation, we have placed this chip on our shoulder, daring someone to force us to negotiate. However, negotiation is neither a shameful dishonor to a country, nor a surrender. Pride has a way of making people and groups look ridiculous; should we allow ourselves to fall prey to it?

Why are we still in Afghanistan? Have we not proved our point? I think the people of that country have gotten the message very vividly; support attacks against America, and you will be devastated beyond compare.

While it may seem noble to stay under the guise of nobly maintaining stability, no one can argue that our presence is not causing more tumult in an already torn country.

If we feel it is necessary to stay because it makes our country safer, should we not consider investing the billions of dollars this war is costing us in a system of defense engineered to prevent terrorist attacks?

With all that said, it is disconcerting to see ignorant comments posted by those disenfranchised by America. Remember this: our country is only what we make it. If we call our soldiers cowards, we make a mockery of ourselves. If we portray America as a blundering oaf, that is how others will view us. I hope the defense of our country and her people is in the hands of more capable, less hypocrtical citizens.

Sometimes it's really that simple, isn't it? I feel a little stupid for not thinking of this myself/earlier, though.

boy Sen Sessions is STILL bitter over his rejection to the court. He is full of souer grapes and makes no attempt to hide it. I would have smacked him!!!

No we should not negotiate with Taliban, specially Mulla Omar.

Bring our troops HOME! I was under the impression that we were trying to kill or capture Bin Laden. Iraq was a complete SNAFU . . . no Bin Laden. Now we're moving into Afghanistan. Haven't heard anything regarding Bin Laden. What is the objective?

In trying to label Sotomajor as a sexist and racist, her accusers are revealing themselves to be racist and sexist. A perfect trap.

Also, in selecting and citing the anonymous lawyers who rated her as too aggressive, too assertive, almost bullying, Lindsay Graham himself was bullying her. Does he have a temperament problem?

I wish you were as cute as you think you are and I can hardly wait for the wise Latina woman and men to take over and we can become just another Latin America Country. We see how well they did there.

Rick- This is a comment regarding the GOP grilling of SC nominee, Judge Sotomayor... I be a 64 year old white dude from da south side of Chicago and deese folk disgust me. Deese narrow minded, white bread GOP fluffs need to learn with da real world. De also could use a good whippin... Maybe when they don't get re-elected, de will learn what life be all about. Den again... probably not. Ones a biggot, always a biggot. As for da nominee-
You go girl, bring some justice to da Supremes... Thanx Rick, keep up the good work- Bob

Why: why did they... the 911 commission did not go into this line of thought.

Why: what was the motive for all the terrorist actions against the United States?

Why?

With the Why solved: a true trial after indictment can be formalized: one is required to have motive.

Afghanistan is a policing action with the intent to arrest: yet, and legally the UN should have charters to control such a need and method to arrest foreign terror suspects to any nation.

Now we all know America will never suffer from a international war crimes tribunal: the United States like always will get away with the authorized use of military force.

But until we as the people can hear why: until a trial can be formalized in the Federal Supreme Court... the problem will not be solved.

Why: I can wager a guess, but my first notion is Al Qeada was framed; the death sentences they have suffered: all atrocities committed to meet the standards of the real Why...

Now: in civilized pattern: sapients are all equal: yet this fight is truly over female equality rights: and females are not equal to civilization: as they rape male more than men on this earth rape females: 10 to one. Islam attempted to control this: and females of the west are in disagreement; and until I hear motive, until you report why: Al Qeada was framed to initiate a bloody massacre in the middle east: like the slaughter ordered at Ithic with the intent to kill one child: motive in that slaughter: prophecy.

Civilized equality is equality in the law: as we are different in reproduction: we are different in the method one can rape.

Rick, I can remember another war that the U.S. "negotiated" it's way out of the war with the "terrorist" who were overthrowing a country, because I was there! The war was called the "Vietnam War" and the U.S. now looks upon this nation as a friendly nation and is doing business with it today.

That war was another unnecessary war fought to appease the egos of the rich and powerful and cost tens-of-thousands of lives on both sides with many more tens-of-thousands suffering from wounds to body and mind today.

Negotiation is perferable to the loss of one life or the injury to one more persons body or mind with no coherent strategy for the war, still!

Your mom and dad may have sacrificed for your well being, but that does not mean that your mom or dad should not learn the english language, how many years did they spend in America, and seems like they may have elected not to learn as a way to buck the American way, lol its funny how it was required to be a us citizen but now everything is in two languages, its funny how spanish is the only language that is printed at the dmv other than english, I just dont buy the fact your mom and dad worked too hard to learn english, they just elected not to learn english!!!

Hi Rick
I dont know what people said about your mother, but I have only one thing to say to you; you can only be proud of her. We live in an educated society, but unfortunately some of them have uneducated minds.
Please take care
Karim
Los Angeles, California

The idea of following the orders of something founded in the rape of a mind: the product being a mis-conception.

The head of John the Baptist... Why?

I have a question: as my comments are quashed by moderation: why do I have notions that most of the people reading my comments are to the North of me: farther North in Canada from my current position.

Hercules sought the Amazons with the notion of following his directional instincts which arrange the location of those people who have made conceptive bonds with them. Lobsters, birds, many creatures have little bones in their skulls which allow for migration. In higher life forms these bones are found in ever greater alined numbers: formating the method to seek those people who have made such conceptive bonds with a man. This is the first intent for seeking the serial kiling of people: as it leads these raped men directly to those who have so made such bonds with them: and will attempt to clear their minds with the death of all those who transgressed in such a manner.

As only the truth is the valid weapon: one person can not face this alone. It will take many men all involved to thwart this: and the more polite method would be to introduce it in media arts and not news content: letting new follow up after the media arts have formalized the new law content of female on male mental rape.

Proof is in memory: so go and interview all those who are currently accounted as mentally ill: and ask them after they have ingested their own sperm: and a while after: if they also remember girls and adult females making such conceptive bonds with them in their forgotten childhoods. Memories are blocked with hypnosis, and hypnosis is just a bi-product in mental rape.

I can agree that it sounds irrational: but I would rather be sure before I judged: and committed more people to the ends which they do not deserve. To be made a serial killer because America and the West lack justice and truth in this manner.

World War one was started on the basis that it is wrong to force abortion: even if that sperm was stolen to create the pregnancy.

Muhommad himself: force his daughter Fatima to have an abortion after she got pregnant outside of marriage... this ultimately ended his life; as it did to Germany...

Abortion requires the agreement of two people and not just the carrier: and even then: it is murder: as abortion is ususally the product of the fetus' choices: a sapient being of acts and intent: even only after just three days of justation: the choice to be male or female is made: it a free choice.

I chose male; and have been condemned for it: under the irrational party system of government management used to thwart all equality.

A system of individuals would have never agreed to release the right to military force: the party system allow this: but what runs the party?

The Pakistan Government signed a treaty with them , released prisoners and gave them 5 million dollars. The Taliban bought Russian made RPGs with the money and resumed attacks in less than a month.
The only way this bunch are going to go away is by force. Talking to them or negotiating is a waste of time and lives.

I do not find her 'wise latina woman' offensive. I am a wise Jewish woman, also from the Bronx. I took that to mean that she has come from humble beginnings, understood what it was like to grow up in home where money was scarce. She was expected to get good grades. She did not have the luxury or advantages of priviledge. In her first year at Princeton, she was in the minority of students who had never been to Europe, let alone out of the Bronx. I also was kept awake by crickets when I moved out of the Bronx.
Men and women, may reach the same conclusion, but have a different thought process. 'Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus. We need a woman's touch on the Supreme Court.

Talibans are not Al Qaeda!
Talibans were generously armed by the US and others to fight of the Russians out of Afghanistan...even if they were invited by the governement in place to try to install peace in the region!!
Talibans came from differents countries of the Arab World...and were led to beleive that they were defending a muslin brother!!! Most of them where students or young men that had no idea how a AK47 work!!
They were Idealist who beleived and were lead to beleive that they could create a real Muslin state under the Coran!! And were promised so by YOU KNOW WHO!!!
Once they finaly won their war...they established their Utopia! And were betrayed by WHO!!
Thus the creation of Al Qaeda!!
Negociating whit the Talibans...yes
With Al Qaeda??? Depens on how we view a long history of betrayals...strating from the Crusades....Lawrence of Arabia ..the petrol aera...and Afganistan???

I have watched you from time to time, since "they" gave you your show during the last election, and I usually walk away thinking; that guy is so focused on making black people look like they are stupid that I usually turn you off before you finish your half-hour.

Now that this horrible treatment has happened to "a wise latina woman," in public, over the air ways, Twitter, Facebook, and any other way that is open to media, day after day for no reason other than to let the public know that they, those wise white old ugly men could do what they did and get away with it, because they truly believe she is not qualified and they were stupid enough to believe that America would believe them. However, in their hearts they know she has prepared well, and will stand with the best of their kind already on the bench, once she is confirmed. I pray GOD's speed for her

They were letting President Obama know that he has no intelligence, as they see it, in selecting this qualified woman. They want him to know that they really do want him to fail and his choice of a Supreme Cout nominee will only help the world to prove how stu[id he is. This woman is bright and intelligent, and no matter what they rigged for her to stumlbe upon only let some of us know, how stupid they really were. There was not an original thought for those who went after her time and time again. I saw it and realized what the game plan was. I do believe there are other people in this country who could see through their evil contorted faces as they asked the same ridiculous questions over and over. It says to me that President Obama is really a super star, and a thinker, because he figured those evil old men would do just what they did. Now the country can see how basckward they are, and they mean no good for all the people in this country, only themselves. Thjey can not un-derstand change were they may not be running the entire show.

When I taught school and even when I became a middle school principal, it was my goal to educate young minds to think. My staff of teachers were always encouraged to inform children that to continue doing something over and over and receiving the wrong results, was not intelligent. It made matters worse expecting to get a better result wihout making adjustments-indicated insanity, and to stop doing it, and change the plan. I saw many light bulbs go on in children when they realized that there are multiple ways to achieve a goal

It hurts to see someone, berated, stabbed, mocked, slandered and a host of other mean and offensive things shared by those wonderful white men who have kept most people of color down, just because they could. They believe it is their inherient right to maintain unjust
behaviors no matter what the cost. Well Ms Sotomayor did not not fall for their intimidation and insults, just one more reason to see her as intelligent. She took gthe high road, and made them appear just as stupid as they truly are. Remember they are the same ones who were there for Geoge, Donald, and Dick; what a waste of human flesh.

Mr. Sanchez, I hope you will be more accepting of all people of color, and less judgemental as you present your news and views daily. You noticed how mean "THEY" WERE TO YOU AS SOON AS IT BECAME PUPLIC that your Mother does not speak English. I heard you when you said that it hurt you. I believe that it did. That is why I am sending you this note. You may never read it, but if you do, I pray that your demeanor when reporting about black people, or any one less fortunate than you will be done with a little more compassion and less "tonge in cheek acceptance." When anyone is wriong, say it, when they are right, say it. Doing right is simple. Just do it.

Racist thoughts and beliefs are in all of us, especially if a person is born of color, and have fought every inch of the way to achieve anything above poverty, for themselves and their family. For those born of acceptance, just because of the color of their skin, is just luck. It is difficult for them to think they may have to relenquish some of their self-imposed birth-right born to power status, and so called god-given rights as they see it, that those same rights have no place in the lives of any race other than white men. As I recall that is what hitler believed, and some of us are witnesses to history and his demise, and those who followed him.

It is no surprise to me they believe, white men, that they are the priviledged, and they can do whatever they choose, and no one can stop them. These sick old white men will not change their stinking thinking, however there is hope for the younger generations-that they can do better than those who lead and show them how to hate anyone who is different from them. It is apparent that these men and some women who can't think their way out of a paper bag also believe they are to receive rights that others different from them can only wish to attain.

That, thank GOD has never been true, but is no longer as easy as it has been in the past, to perpertrate against people who had no advocate. Many of us who have given our best so they the younger people coming along will have a better opportunity to become the women and men they were born to be.

Joy, Love and Peace,
A 74 year old black Na-Na who is still thinking

I BELIEVE AMERICANS SHOULD BE TIRED OF WARS AT THE MOMENT. THERE IS NOTHING CLOSE TO DIALOGUE; THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT SHOULD RESPECT OTHER NATIONS AND LIKE WISE OTHER NATIONS SHOULD RESPECT THE NATION OF AMERICA AND ITS PEOPLE. I BELIEVE THAT TALKING TO THE TALIBANS WILL HELP THE WORLD UNDERSTAND THEIR DIFFERENCES.

Absolutely not – we should NEVER negotiate with terrorists, no matter what.

We should take the time to negotiate mainly because we will never when that war. It won't hurt to listen as long there is meaningful dialog

This type of incident is exactly what drives us Army Service Members into a frenzy. PFC Ware was taken hostage due to his inability to maintain the proper discipline of a Soldier. It is a bad situation for PFC Ware but, due to his actions, empathy will be hard to come by within the Army. He has needlessly put many Service Members lives at risk by not following standard operating procedure. The media should not allow this to turn into another "Jessica Lynch" hero story. The truth is a bad decision was made by PFC Ware, and that is all it is.

Hey Rick,
If you listen to the tape of the catured prisoner, prior to him stating he wouls miss his family, you can hear a deeper male voice state "Miss", the soldier then starts to talk about his family. Take a listen.

Rick, the boy didn t know what he was doing when he volunteered to be a soldier because of his age and he thinking he was bullet proof , alot like I was in viet nam. Let<s get him home. The guy in canada has no idea how many soldiers he had like that. He did vvolunteer.

Rick,
When I heard about the US soldier being captured, I wondered how it happened because I imagined that soldiers were adviced to always travel in groups. If so, why didn't his group know that he was missing. They need to find out how he it could happen.

I truely blame the captured soldier for being careless. But I disagree with the second part of the Col's comment when he said that the Taliban will do us a favor, and save us from legal bills

i think that obama IS a terrorist in disguise! He is bringing our country down and the rejection of the Fighter jets is clear proof that he wants our country to be invaded and torn apart by terrorists, he himself is a terrorist and may be the worst president in the history of the U.S, he is doing nothing but sending our country down. I'll tell you what, I will not pay for any illegal immigrants for their healthcare, when I am worried about my own, and those (animals) won't receive one damn penny from me even if it comes down to me going to prison, jail, or political HELL! I will fight for my right! not for them.

If they knew Bowe left with a knife and some water why didn't they ask some questions like: WHERE THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOUR GOING SOLDIER. Somebody is going to die because of this moron and I am going to blame his supervisors and the media.

HEALTH CARE: Canadians pay half what Americans do for HEALTH CARE–per capita. It's not perfect, but we like it. The US has one of the worst in the west: Over-medicated, over-operated, over-administrated, and over-lobbied. Try Germany or France for a model.
A duel citizen.

Hey, Rick: It is incredible to witness the so-called healthcare debate. It is however more incredible to see how politicians throw arguments that are baseless such as those presented yesterday on Canada's alleged length of time to receive healthcare.
First, there are a number of peer reviewed studies that are clearly show better health outcomes in countries that have a public healthcare system compared to those that do not.
Second, why don't opponents to public healthcare talk about health outcomes in countries they procclaim are served in a manner that is less efficient than the United States.
Third, let's look at life expectancy in public healthcare systems and compare them to our "health quality" system.
Facts speak for themselves, and sadly, the media does not focus on them. GREAT SHOW!

Listening to – or being listened to.- -is needed.
It's not a sigh of respect ,but a gathering of information.

I watch you from time to time and I like you but I think you need to stop cutting people off when they're trying to express themselves. I don't really think you mean to do this but non the less you do, and quite often I might add. This is not to slam you my brother but to better you.

Re Obama's Birth Certificate:
I am an Independent voter in Hawaii and I generally support Obama in what he is doing for this country. I am not anti-Obama.

Please get your facts straight on this issue. Please stop calling us wing-nuts or conspiracy theorists. We are mostly normal people who want the real facts.

1. The so-called Birth Certificate of Obama at Factcheck.org is a recent made-up copy. Look at it closely and you will see it was created by a computer. There were no public computers in 1961 when Obama was born. The original Birth Certificate in the vault in Hawaii would be typewritten. No typewritten vault-copy Birth Certificate of Obama has ever been shown to the public.

2. The Hawaii Director of Births said that she has "seen" the Birth Certificate. However, no-one, including Hawaii State officials, has ever said in public what is ACTUALLY WRITTEN on the original typewritten vault-copy Birth Certificate.

3. If a Hawaii resident was born outside Hawaii they can still get a Birth Certificate within 30 days of birth. So the birth in Kenya is possible, but probably unlikely because his mother was a student at the time and did not have the funds for such an expensive long distance flight.

4. There have been conflicting claims over which Honolulu Hospital he was born in – Queen's or Kapiolani. No-one seems to be able to prove which one he was born in.

5. If Obama has no problem with his original typewritten vault-copy Birth Certificate, why has he spent almost a million dollars in legal fees to prevent it being shown to the public?

6. The answer to this riddle maybe that he was indeed born in Hawaii, but Barack Obama Sr was NOT his father. In Obama's autobiography, he repeatedly refers to his mentor "Frank". It appears that this could be Frank Marshall Davis (the Hawaii communist) who is known to have had an affair with Obama's mother. So what Obama maybe really hiding is not his place of birth but his actual father. It is strongly believed that Obama's original typewritten vault-copy Birth Certificate will name Frank Marshall Davis as his real father, and that is why he is going to such great lengths and expense to hide it from public view.

Next time CNN does a story on this subject, would you please get an expert. Rowan Martin just insults everyone without coming up with any facts. I suggest Andy Martin, who is the only person with an ongoing lawsuit about Obama's Birth Certificate here in the State of Hawaii. Andy has also written a book on Obama and has done extensive research into this matter. Currently, Andy is running for the Republican candidate for a Senate seat in Illinois. Your viewers would be riveted in their seats when he lays out the facts on Obama's Birth Certificate for CNN viewers.

And I haven't even begun on the subject of why Obama is hiding his student papers especially his application for admission forms. Do these also show Frank Marshall Davis as his father?

One more thing. Let's have a rational discussion instead of a hurling of insults.

Afganistan is very big terrain wise however we have the capability to take it off the map. The problem is is that they know that we don't stoop to their tactics and thats how they win. I say anialate where we need to and show superiority where ever we go. You can'at negotiate with people that are not afraid to blow themselves up and that show no respect for human life. They absolutley live by no code.

A point of inquiry for the fourth estate. 20 years ago there was an assumption by the powers that be that an international pipeline needed to be built. The proposal would be built from Iraq, thru Iran, thru Afghanistan, to end in Pakistan. It would link Europe, Russia, China and the Middle East to oil supplies required.
Mr. Sanchez, is this true? It would explain why all the trouble is in the Middle East. I have no resources to check the facts. I can not find the truth. With your resources, can you find out?
The video about Obama's birth certificate at the town meeting looked like a grand WASP convention. I've lived in Hawaii for 39 years, with the diversification of the races over here, its no big deal anymore. Mainland people who participate in such nonsense meetings look ignorant to the tenth degree to the whole world. Get a life will you please!

Who is bankrolling Conservatives for Patient's rights?